Coverage for all routine childhood vaccinations administered to children under 5 in England in 2019–20 has been published today.
NHS Digital’s Childhood Vaccination Coverage Statistics contains information on vaccinations measured at the ages of 12 months, 24 months, and 5 years. There are 14 measures of vaccination coverage. At a national level, coverage has increased for 12 of these.
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine
Coverage for the first dose of the MMR vaccine among children aged 24 months has increased from 90.3% in 2018–19 to 90.6% in 2019–20. The World Health Organization (WHO) target is 95%.
This is the first time in six years that MMR coverage in England has increased, following a peak of 92.7% in 2013–14.
Regional data shows an increase in coverage in six of the nine English regions in 2019–20 compared to the previous year. Coverage fell in the remaining three regions. The North East had the highest level of coverage at 95.1% and was the only region to exceed the national target of 95%. London had the lowest level of coverage in 2019–20 at 83.6% (up from 83.0% in 2018–19).
Across England, 94.5% of children aged 5 years had received the first dose of the MMR vaccine in 2019–20; the same percentage as the previous year, and still below the 95% target. In 2019–20, eight out of nine regions achieved 95% coverage.
5-in-1 and 6-in-1 vaccines
Coverage for the 5-in-1/6-in-1 vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, a disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B, increased among children aged 12 months and 5 years but decreased for children aged 24 months.
Coverage at 12 months increased from 92.1% in 2018–19 to 92.6% in 2019–20 but is still lower than its peak of 94.7% in 2012–13.
Among children aged 24 months, coverage was below the 95% target for the second consecutive year. It was 93.8% in 2019–20, compared to 94.2% in 2018–19. This decrease is influenced by the 12-month coverage in 2018–19.
For children aged 5 years, coverage was 95.2% in 2019–20 (meeting the target of 95% for the seventh consecutive year), up from 95.0% in 2018–19.
Other vaccinations
The report also includes coverage data for the pneumococcal disease (PCV), rotavirus, meningococcal group B (MenB), Hib booster and meningococcal group C vaccine (Hib/MenC) and children’s flu vaccines.
This year’s report includes data on the MenB booster vaccine as a National Statistic for the second time. England coverage at the age of 24 months was 88.7% in 2019–20; up from 87.8% in 2018–19.
List of vaccinations, ages at which coverage is measured and coverage for the past three years:
Vaccination | Age administered | Age measured | 2019–20 | 2018–19 | 2017–18 |
| Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b(DTaP/IPV/Hib)* | 8, 12 & 16 weeks | 12 months | 92.6 | 92.1 | 93.1 |
| 24 months | 93.8 | 94.2 | 95.1 | ||
| 5 years | 95.2 | 95.0 | 95.6 | ||
| Pneumococcal disease (PCV) | 8 & 16 weeks | 12 months | 93.2 | 92.8 | 93.3 |
| Rotavirus | 8 & 12 weeks | 12 months | 90.1 | 89.7 | 90.1 |
| Meningococcal group B (MenB) | 8 & 16 weeks | 12 months | 92.5 | 92.0 | 92.5 |
| Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal group C (Hib / MenC) | 1 year | 24 months | 90.5 | 90.4 | 91.2 |
| 5 years | 92.5 | 92.2 | 92.4 | ||
| Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) | 1 year | 24 months | 90.6 | 90.3 | 91.2 |
| 5 years | 94.5 | 94.5 | 94.9 | ||
| Pneumococcal disease (PCV) booster | 1 year | 24 months | 90.4 | 90.2 | 91.0 |
| Meningococcal group B (MenB) booster | 1 year | 24 months | 88.7 | 87.8 | – |
| Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio (DTaP/IPV) booster | 3 yrs 4 months to 5 yrs | 5 years | 85.4 | 84.8 | 85.6 |
| Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) second dose | 3 yrs 4 months to 5 yrs | 5 years | 86.8 | 86.4 | 87.2 |
| * In 2019–20, for the 12-month cohort, coverage is evaluated against the 6-in-1 hexavalent vaccine. DTAP/IPV/Hib. Other measures reflect coverage for the 5-in-1 pentavalent vaccine. | |||||
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Image credit: Freepik
